The key players in the Ricoh Arena row have been told to "go away and work together urgently" after a meeting at Westminster organised by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Organised by Jeremy Wright, who is also MP for Kenilworth and Southam, the behind-closed-doors meeting was held this morning to try and bring a solution to the looming homelessness crisis facing Coventry City.

Representatives from the football club and their owners Sisu, Wasps, Coventry City Council and the English Football League were all in attendance.

Several Coventry and Warwickshire MPs also attended the meeting which was aimed at breaking the deadlock that is threatening the Sky Blues' future.

In a statement, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Jeremy Wright said Coventry City's survival was the 'pre-eminent' concern.

Coventry City's future at the Ricoh Arena is uncertain because of ongoing legal action

He added that all parties need to go away and resolve the issue urgently.

The statement

Issued following the meeting, the statement said: "This morning's meeting was a good opportunity to have a full and frank discussion and hear from all parties.

"Coventry City's survival is our pre-eminent concern and priority.

“We would like the club to continue playing in Coventry. I've asked the parties to go away and work together urgently to resolve the issue before next season."

Sports Minister Mims Davies agreed to try to "drive through the changes" needed in the football industry.

She said she would raise "many issues" including the rules placed on the owners of football clubs at a meeting with the FA.

That debate was kicked off by Labour's Jim Cunningham , who argued a mediator outside the football industry should be brought in to try and find common ground.

Before that, mediation among the parties had been ordered by the High Court.

Former Sports Minister Tracey Crouch also appointed a mediator back in 2017 to try and negotiate peace.

But that failed.

Save Our Sky Blues

Hopes rested on some constructive dialogue with the key players during the meeting today and now they have been sent away with government instructions to resolve the situation 'urgently'.

EFL statement

The English Football League (EFL) has also released a statement this afternoon.

In it a spokesman said: “The EFL has today met with various parties involved in discussions regarding the future of Coventry City, including representatives from the Club, DCMS, Wasps, and Coventry City Council.

“Matters were raised in an open and at times frank exchange in an attempt to develop a solution that meets the requirements of all parties. As things stand, the EFL position remains that we need to have absolute clarity of Coventry City’s plans for where the Club will stage its home matches in the 2019/20 season.

“The EFL will continue to work with the Club to progress every possible avenue in order to reach an appropriate resolution."

Sisu's open letter

The Westminster meeting came less than 24 hours after Coventry City owners Sisu issued an open letter to fans.

It it they set out terms which would bring to an end the long-running legal battle against Coventry City Council over the sale of the Ricoh Arena to Wasps.

Sisu said it would rather no continue its legal action and would drop it if the following terms conditions were met:

a stadium development supported by the council in Coventry with enabling development on reasonable terms

a medium term interim arrangement with Wasps on commercially acceptable terms to stay at the Ricoh Arena until CCFC's own stadium is complete

No official response has been issued by Coventry City Council or Wasps to yesterday's letter or accompanying eight-page document setting out factors which Sisu said had led to the current crisis.

Coventry City have just four games left at the Ricoh Arena before their current rent deal expires.

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Wasps, owners of the stadium, have refused to negotiate a new deal until legal action against the council, in which Wasps are also named party, is dropped.

If Sisu win the legal action, it would mean Wasps paying the council around £30million extra for the Ricoh Arena, which could bankrupt the rugby club.

The English Football League have threatened Coventry City with expulsion from the league unless the club can confirm where it will be playing its home games next season.

A vote of EFL members is expected to take place in April over the club's continued membership of the league unless the issue is resolved in the meantime.